


Tournesol.

by aserenitatum



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: (but it's a surprise), Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22812385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aserenitatum/pseuds/aserenitatum
Summary: “Hi,” Aubrey says, the weight pressing against her chest making her words a little breathless and even though rationally she understands that Stacie’s standing in front of her, she still can’t quite believe she’s here. She knows Stacie’s not a figment of her imagination because she’s only ever seen her in uniform, and the sweater with the plunging neckline and tight jeans are a combination her wildest imagination could not have conjured up.She looks so casual and so unlike Aubrey’s used to seeing her and it feels like they’re completely different people.
Relationships: Stacie Conrad/Aubrey Posen
Comments: 26
Kudos: 153





	Tournesol.

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a headcanon conversation I had with Elle and was too lazy to fully write out
> 
> enjoy!

Aubrey smiles and thanks the man who takes her bag off the carousel for her, still having to get used to the attention from strangers and how helpful people are when they recognise her. The people from customs let her through with no hassle and the man in charge nods at her in deference and when she steps through the sliding doors that lead to the Arrivals Hall, she immediately spots Stacie. 

She’s not hard to find, standing out because of her height, leaning against a pillar a bit away from the main horde of people but before she can even think about walking over to her, she gets sidetracked by a group of people wanting to talk to her and ask for pictures with her, fans that she didn’t even know she had, and she engages happily with the group of youngsters even though she can’t stop her eyes from straying back to the brunette. 

Once the last of the people slink away, she makes her way over to Stacie, drawn in by the small, coy smile and how she doesn’t even shift from her position, still leaning so casually against the pillar and watching Aubrey with those dark eyes full of intent. 

“Hi,” Aubrey says, the weight pressing against her chest making her words a little breathless and even though rationally she acknowledges that Stacie’s standing in front of her, she still can’t quite believe she’s here. She knows Stacie’s not a figment of her imagination because she’s only ever seen her in uniform or jumpsuits, and the sweater with the plunging neckline and tight jeans are a combination her wildest imaginations could not have conjured up. She looks so casual and so unlike Aubrey’s used to seeing her and it feels like they’re completely different people down here. 

“I have something for you,” Stacie says, voice dropping almost conspiratorially and before Aubrey can respond, a sunflower appears from behind Stacie’s back, from where it had been tucked into her back pocket and Aubrey’s smile brightens so much that Stacie can’t keep her coy expression anymore, her smirk turning soft and sweet as she sees Aubrey’s reaction. “Welcome back.” 

“Thank you,” she whispers softly, taking the flower from Stacie’s grasp and lingering when their fingers brush. “And for picking me up.” 

“You asked.” 

“I didn’t.” 

“Your letter did.” 

“I was afraid that—” She stops talking, frowns softly as her gaze drops to the floor. “I realised afterwards that there was no way to know if you would, or could because you had to work and I didn’t even have a set return flight to Houston so—” 

“Aubrey,” she cuts off, that endeared smile making a return and Aubrey’s used to this dynamic, to Stacie looking at her this way with that tinge of amusement in her voice because Aubrey overthinks and she finds it adorable. “I’m here, aren’t I?” 

“Yes,” she says with a final sort of sigh. “You are.” 

“Okay.” 

“Okay.” 

“Should we go?” Stacie offers, reaching out and lifting the strap of Aubrey’s bag from her shoulder and transferring it to her own. “How are your legs?” 

“So sore.” 

A quiet chuckle falls from Stacie’s lips as she properly touches Aubrey for the first time, her hand falling to the small of her back to lead her out of the arrivals hall and towards the parking lot and the way Aubrey melts into her hold is as reassuring as it is promising. 

“I didn’t expect to find a fan club waiting for you,” Stacie comments lightly after Aubrey turns to look back a final time at the group of people, primarily young women, that had been there awaiting her return to Houston. 

“They must have tweeted something,” Aubrey replies with a shared laugh. “I should have known something was up when DC insisted I wear the jacket.” 

“Well, we can’t have America’s favourite astronaut blending in with the common folk,” Stacie teases and it’s worth it for the blush she gets in return. She gives Aubrey the reprieve though and doesn’t taunt her any more, instead pivoting to a safer topic. “How was Star City?” 

Aubrey smiles and takes it, telling Stacie about some of her work there and they’re just reaching her car when she remembers a crucial detail. “I bumped into Melchinov two weeks ago.” 

Stacie lights up at the mention of her former shuttle partner, smile brightening. “How’s he doing?” 

“Awful,” Aubrey says with a wry chuckle. “He hates being back.” 

Stacie can’t help but giggle at that, remembering how much their fellow crewmate did not want to return to earth and had asked what would happen if he refused to board the Soyuz, to which their captain had responded that he would be forcefully duct-taped to his seat if necessary. 

It had been a question asked as a joke but it had definitely highlighted a sentiment that a lot of the other astronauts shared — that switching back to earth life after being on the International Space Station for an extended period of time was a much harder adjustment than going up into space. 

“He asked to be sent back,” Aubrey adds. 

“When?” 

“I don’t know, as soon as possible? He said in three years, I think,” she says with a small shake of the head. “I’m not sure about the exact timeline or how it works with them.” 

Stacie gives a noncommittal hum that draws Aubrey’s attention, those curious eyes studying her closely and it flusters her a little bit because she’d forgotten how intense Aubrey’s piercing gaze could be. “What?” 

“Would you?” 

Stacie immediately knows what she’s asking and she considers her answer carefully, taking the time to put Aubrey’s bags in the trunk of her car as she mulls it over. 

“I don’t think so,” she says and Aubrey doesn’t look too surprised by that answer even though her brow furrows almost imperceptibly. “If they ask or need a mission specialist, I think I’d say yes but I’m not itching to sign up again anytime soon.” 

“One-eighty days more than enough for you?” Aubrey tries to tease but it falls a little flat between them. 

“For now,” Stacie says with a shrug and the way Aubrey ducks her head again, gaze skittering away from Stacie’s as the line of her jaw tightens tells Stacie all she needs to know. “You would.” 

“That’s just my reentry sickness talking,” Aubrey brushes away immediately but when she meets Stacie’s eyes, they’re not hard with resolve and Stacie’s smile twitches. 

“No, it’s not.” 

Aubrey doesn’t fight her on it because they both know she’s right. 

Stacie can see that Aubrey’s expecting her to be disappointed or mad but she knew what she was getting into and she knows that her own sentiment — that now that she’s seen space she’s alright for a while — is not echoed by most of the astronauts currently in NASA’s roster, that the itch to go back after an extended stay at the International Space Station or on shuttle missions only increases with each visit. 

The fact that she’d met Aubrey while on the woman’s second ISS mission had been an indication enough that Aubrey fell into the larger pool of astronauts, the kind that loved outer space too much to permanently return to earth. 

She knew that, even as they’d grown closer and she’d developed feelings, and it was one of the main reasons she hadn’t felt as heartbroken when Aubrey had asked — _insisted_ — that they remain friends and nothing more, because she knew Aubrey was just trying to protect her from being left behind, and during their time aboard the ISS it had been easy to keep it that way because the job always came first and working and living in space was a full-focus and full-commitment job. 

It hadn’t stopped her from being her charming self and Aubrey’s dismissals had always been accompanied by an endeared smile and when Stacie had presented her with a sunflower that she’d grown in space — a sad, wonkily-stemmed, half-wilted sunflower —  Aubrey had smiled so widely, unabashed in her adoration for the flower and the time and care that had gone into growing it that she’d cracked, her resolve too weak and in the quiet of the Copula she’d yanked Stacie closer and kissed her, laughing against Stacie’s lips as the woman tried to find any purchase to stabilise herself in the zero-gravity space to be able to kiss Aubrey back, both of them so lost in each other that they didn’t notice the breathtaking sunset that accompanied the ISS’ 8th rotation around the earth. 

“I have to ask you something,” Stacie says out of the blue and given their previous exchange, she can understand why Aubrey suddenly looks a little wary. 

“Okay.” 

“The letter you gave me,” she starts and Aubrey’s expression shifts with the change in topic, eyes locked onto Stacie’s. “Were you worried that if I read it before leaving, I’d want to kiss you? Crewmates and mission control be damned?” 

Aubrey’s lips twitch as she shakes her head. “I was worried _I_ would want to.” 

Stacie’s heart swells with the words. The hand-written letter, sealed in an envelope and pushed into her hands the night before Stacie and two others were scheduled to be on the Soyuz to depart the ISS, had come with the request that Stacie not read it until she was back on earth, a promise that Aubrey had begged Stacie to make her and she’s never really been able to deny Aubrey, especially when she’d asked with such a thread of importance woven through her plea. 

All of the feelings and words that Aubrey could never get out were put onto paper and when Stacie had ripped it open and read it, after her nausea and dizziness had abated enough for her to be able to properly make out the words, the letter had been the only thing keeping her from feeling that sharp grief of having had to leave space. It had been her lifeline when she’d returned to the engineering lab to continue the research she’d started aboard the ISS and was the thread that kept her sane and hopeful about Aubrey’s eventual return. 

“Can you take off your jacket?” Stacie asks, eyes refocusing on Aubrey and the confused little furrow of her brow at the request. 

“Why?” 

“Put it in the car, please, Major.” At the title and Stacie’s serious tone, Aubrey acquiesces, shrugging out of her NASA-issued travel jacket and opening the passenger door to toss the garment onto the seat. “Seeing as you’ve become more of a public figure since your last EVA, I don’t want this to end up on some gossip website or worse, Twitter.” 

Aubrey’s worried expression melts at that, the implication clear and Stacie delights in the way she reaches up to undo the neat bun at the nape of her neck, shaking her head to loosen her hair as she runs her fingers through the strands and Stacie has to pause for a moment to take in the sight. 

Aubrey suddenly looks less like the seasoned Air Force-turned-astronaut flier she first met and more like a woman in love, eyes so full of emotion as she stares up at Stacie expectantly and so she doesn’t waste another moment, stepping closer and sliding a hand around the back of Aubrey’s neck, fingers tangling in the hairs there as she leans down and kisses Aubrey firmly. 

Aubrey sinks into her, tilts her head back and parts her lips as she kisses Stacie back with more than a little enthusiasm. Stacie takes advantage of Aubrey’s eagerness and slips her tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss as her hold on Aubrey tightens and if she’d had any doubts that she’d moved too quickly, they vanish when Aubrey’s body curves into hers, fingers crushing the soft cotton of Stacie’s long-sleeved shirt in a tight grip. 

Aubrey’s only been back for three months and her lungs aren’t used to the natural earth air yet so she has to break away far sooner than she wants to, but with their separation, the doubts come creeping back, all the reasons she’d had for being wary about pursuing this in the first place and her eyelashes flutter against Stacie’s cheeks when she closes her eyes, trying to stem the tears that threaten to fall. 

“I want to go back,” she whispers, a guilty undercurrent accompanying her words. 

“I know,” Stacie says as she presses her forehead against Aubrey’s. “I don’t care.” 

“You don’t?” 

“It doesn’t matter,” she reassures. “It doesn’t change anything for me.” 

Aubrey’s eyes snap open, eyes shining with tears and an almost hopeful surprise. “Really?” 

“Knowing you’re going back up doesn’t make me want this any less, Aubrey,” she says, hands moving to cup Aubrey’s face carefully to ensure she doesn’t shy away from this moment and from Stacie’s words. “It doesn’t make me want _you_ any less.” 

The way Aubrey seems so overwhelmed by that breaks Stacie’s heart a little, at how convinced she’d been that this feeling wouldn’t be reciprocated or that Stacie would think she wasn’t worth it and a protectiveness wells up inside her accompanied by the visceral need to show Aubrey just how deeply reciprocated her feelings are. 

One of the reasons Aubrey had fallen so hard for Stacie in the first place was her unwavering faith in the goodness of the universe, that even with tragedy everything would be alright and Stacie proves it once again, her weighted expression melting as a playful smile threatens to take over her features. 

“That is, if you don’t mind being with someone who went to great lengths to establish she actually really likes earth.” 

The pressure in her chest cracks, and with it comes a short, sharp laugh and Aubrey has to look away from Stacie’s twinkling eyes, her forehead falling to her shoulder as she lets out another laugh. 

“I can forgive you for it.” 

Stacie’s arms circle her waist and fully pull her into her body and Aubrey comes willingly, hugging Stacie tightly as she buries her face in the crook of her neck, eyes closing to fully bask in the feeling of being in Stacie’s arms. 

“I missed you so much,” she murmurs against skin, words coming out a little shaky and Stacie turns her head to press her lips against Aubrey’s crown, her own next breath a little unsteady. 

They remain like that for a long while and even though it doesn’t matter one bit to her who sees them like this, Stacie’s grateful that the parking lot is deserted if only because it means they won’t be interrupted. She’s waited too long to get to hold Aubrey like this, their deep breaths syncing up naturally as Aubrey calms. 

“Okay.” 

“Okay?” Stacie asks, pulling away enough to be able to look at her, watching as Aubrey shakes her head and her eyes clear, that soft joy Stacie enjoys seeing so much returning to her eyes. 

“Yeah.” 

“You hungry?” Stacie offers, keeping a steady hand on Aubrey’s hip when she sees the woman sway, briefly losing her balance before reaching out to stabilise by putting her hand on Stacie’s car. 

“I’m starving.” 

“Well then, let’s go get you something to eat.” 

Aubrey smiles as she takes her seat on the passenger side, moving her jacket to the back seat and watching as Stacie slides into the driver’s side. Stacie looks her way with a soft smile, eyes lingering on her as if she still can’t believe Aubrey’s there. 

She finally shakes her head and looks away with a lopsided smile, putting the car into reverse to pull out of the parking spot and it’s not until they’re at a red light some distance away from the airport that Aubrey calls out her name, her eyes never having left Stacie and reaching out to tangle her fingers with Stacie’s. 

“Hm?” Stacie hums a little distractedly. 

“No matter what I said … ” Aubrey starts. 

Stacie’s smile widens, as if she knows what’s coming next and Aubrey’s heart swells as Stacie squeezes her fingers. 

“I’m happy to be here. With you.” 

**Author's Note:**

> thoughts?


End file.
